Punjab Youth Congress President writes to RGNUL Chancellor opposing proposed name change

President of Punjab Youth Congress Mohit Mohindra on Wednesday wrote an open letter to the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Justice Sheel Nagu who also holds the position of Chancellor at Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law (RGNUL) in Patiala.

The letter urged him “not to entertain the recent recommendation of the university’s Academic Council” to change the name of the university to ‘National Law University’, omitting the name of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. He said that doing so would set a wrong and dangerous precedent.

In his letter, Mohindra expressed concern over the resolution, saying the proposal appeared to be politically motivated rather than administrative in nature.

He emphasized that RGNUL was established through an Act passed by the Punjab Vidhan Sabha in 2006, and that the name was defined under the statute. He said, “Are we questioning the collective wisdom of the lawmakers who drafted and passed the Act back then? More importantly, why are we doing it? What is the main objective behind this move? At a time when society faces serious economic and governance challenges, how can renaming an established university be a priority?”

Quoting the RGNUL Act, he wrote, “The nomenclature of the University is defined by the RGNUL Act under Section 3, Clause 1. The Academic and Executive Councils do not have the legal competence to alter the nomenclature of a university created by legislation. There is no clause permitting such a change, nor any procedure for the same. Such a change requires a formal legislative amendment and cannot be done via an internal resolution.”

Referring to the contributions of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, Mohindra noted that his leadership ushered in a telecom revolution, and youth empowerment. “Erasing his name from an institution of higher learning reflects disregard for a visionary leader who transformed India. What message are we sending? That institutional identity can change with shifting political winds? That our history and legacy hold no significance?” he remarked.

Mohindra urged the Chancellor to reject the recommendation and protect the legacy of RGNUL.